Switzerland approves $1 million in aid for resilience and economic recovery of border communities in Armenia

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC has approved CHF 960,000 ($1 million) in aid for Armenia to improve border communities’ resilience towards crisis situations. Partnering with the World Food Programme (WFP) for implementation, Switzerland provides immediate humanitarian and long-term economic support to Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik with the “Resilience and Economic Recovery of Border Communities in Armenia – REBCA” project.

Armenia’s recent progress with its socio-economic reform agenda has been challenged by external factors such as COVID-19, military conflict in 2020, and international external economic shocks particularly from the war in Ukraine.

Furthermore, due to the military escalations in September 2022, six Armenian communities in the areas bordering Azerbaijan in Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor regions (totaling 133 settlements and 133,165 people) are directly affected, including in terms of economic livelihood and food security.

The 12-month REBCA humanitarian project will protect and reestablish the livelihoods of people living in border areas in Armenia and provide economic means to improve resilience towards crisis situations. The project targets 15 conflict-affected border settlements of Vardenis (Gegharkunik), Sisian (Syunik), and Jermuk (Vayots Dzor) enlarged communities by directly responding to the needs of more than 1000 households.